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Andrik Greyjoy
Andrik Greyjoy is the current Head of House Greyjoy, Lord Reaper of Pyke, and King of the Iron Islands. Description Appearance Standing tall at 6'4", with a sturdy build and broad shoulders, Lord Andrik Greyjoy is an imposing figure on a good day in spite of his usual solemn smile. Dark brown, almost black hair, usually pulled back, frames grey eyes, prominent cheekbones, and a bearded jaw. His thick brows are usually drawn in concentration or good humor, making him seem at least a bit stern at all times. Living off the last vestiges of wealth stolen from House Lannister and the Kingdom of the Rock six years ago, Andrik's normal clothing is well-made and in good repair: waistcoats and surcoats and jerkins of rich dark leather hemmed with gold, cotton tunics, wool trousers to help repel the elements while standing on the brow of his iron galley, and beaten leather high boots. Andrik wears half-plate armor over chainmail, the imagery of the Greyjoy kraken carved into the pauldrons, etched into the chestplate, and shaped into a fearsome helm. His black and gold sailing cape hooks into the mail at the collarbones, and though he may sometimes be minus his plate Andrik never departs without his chainmail and cloak. Personality Having had to reach adulthood faster than most (what with his father's obsession with women as opposed to the well-being of their House), Andrik's priorities fall in a fairly straightforward order every time: safety of family, prestige of House, security of self. Following Aeron Greyjoy's disorganized and largely unsuccessful raiding frenzy that spanned the western coast of the North all the way to the bottom edge of Dorne and ended with the previous Lord Reaper's death, Andrik silently took upon his shoulders the task of rebuilding the wealth of House Greyjoy; this work ethic persists even to this day with the determination to see things through, and it is rare if not unheard of to witness Andrik complain about anything -- especially his own responsibilities. Famously difficult to read, the Lord Reaper's moods shift often, his emotions unpredictable to all save for his three closest siblings, Marya, Theon, and Nessa. He is calm and collected under pressure, especially on the battlefield where he feels most at home. While he regularly jokes with a streak of dark humor, that humor is instantly broken when his family is threatened -- though this turn of emotion is carefully managed, giving rise to the belief that Andrik's changing demeanor actually stems from a deep undercurrent of control rather than a lack thereof, bordering sociopathic. All of his actions are those of very calculated risk, weighing the danger to his family against possible reward. Very much a planner and patient to a fault, Andrik prefers to think things through before acting -- though how quickly the "thinking" part occurs varies by situation -- and regardless of whether it takes him a few seconds or a few days to make a decision, none are ever truly impulsive. Historical Events The Young Kraken (260 AA - 273 AA) Andrik Greyjoy was born first rock son to Lord Aeron Greyjoy and Lady Victaria Greyjoy (nee Sunderly) in the 3rd Moon of 260 AA. Lord Aeron had assumed the role as Lord Greyjoy when his father, King Victarion II Greyjoy, became King of Salt and Rock; never much for ambition, Aeron instead settled into a decades-long routine of pleasure raiding up and down the western coast of Westeros. Much closer to his mother than to his absent father, Andrik took to the sword rather than the axe, which was Aeron's weapon of choice. The two practiced almost daily and often well into the night, first with wooden swords and rebated steel before finally moving to live steel. Victaria insisted that her son learn the lessons of pain early, and with her on the other side of the dueling ring, rather than on a short-lived battlefield years in the future. Despite her insistence on spending time with her son (and her daughter Marya, when she was born in 268 AA), Victaria was a reaver to the bitter end, and accompanied her husband on many of his raids from the North down to the Greenbelt until her death during a particularly bloody affair in the Reach in 271 AA. Not to be dissuaded by mourning, Aeron immediately remarried to Yara Farwynd later that year. For two years, the young Andrik drifted apart from what was left of his family, distancing himself from both his sister Marya and the rest of his salt siblings. His father, as always, paid his heir very little mind -- until one day he found Andrik waiting for him at the top of the brow of his iron galley, Whore's Blood, in full armor and sword in-hand. Not necessarily accustomed to interaction, neither said a word as Aeron boarded his ship, his son taking the Lord Greyjoy's silence as permission to stay. He was fearsome in battle. That much, at least, Aeron noticed. He was fearsome because he was unafraid -- and not in the way of blood-curdling screaming and wanton charges of Ironborn reavers. With a blade in his hand, Andrik stared opponents down with a calm, unnerving smile, as if greeting an old friend moments before stabbing them in the gut. And as the raid waned on and his men tired, his son did not; in fact, Andrik's smile had only grown wider. When asked the reason for it, he replied, "It's the smell of green blood in the morning." The Disappointment of Greyjoy (273 AA - 278 AA) Following his first raid in 273 AA, Andrik made a name for himself in the many that came after, the crew he sailed with always seeking to bring back resources for House Greyjoy and the people of the Iron Isles in lieu of the gold and women his father and grandfather normally returned with. His navigation skills grew quite renowned, and many of the Greyjoy ship captains requested charts plotted by him prior to their own reavings. Despite Aeron's undeniable selfishness when it came to raiding, he supported his father and King in Victarion II's weak reaving attempts until the unexpected death of King Greyjoy in 278 AA. It was during this time that Andrik was away raiding a small village just north of the Rills when Victarion II was struck down in Fair Isle, the cowardly Lord Greyjoy fleeing (as Aeron was wont to do) back to the Iron Isles minus a father and King. Andrik returned victorious, ships laden with wood and stone and a new salt wife in tow, to find the Iron Isles days away from a Kingsmoot. Even then he knew that his father would not be chosen -- in fact, Lord Aeron did not even bother with being nominated. Andrik, disgusted with his father's cowardice and lack of ambition, backed Cotter I Goodbrother with the rest of the ironborn as House Greyjoy's short return to the Seastone Chair came to an end. The Rise of a Lord (278 AA - 283 AA) Still disgruntled by his own father, Andrik found unexpected refuge in Janei Snow, the woman he'd taken from the western coast of the North. Janei's origins and the verity of their relationship was somewhat of a mystery, as she'd returned to be his salt wife but neither fighting nor in chains; in fact, in the small glimpses the two were seen together (mostly by Andrik's younger sister Marya), it could have been said that they were very much in love. At the least Andrik was quite fond of her, often returning from his raids with presents of fine cloth or chests of gold specifically for her. Janei bore him his first child, Mina, in 279 AA, whom Andrik coddled whenever he was home. It is also rumored that Janei was the one who named Andrik’s first ship, the iron galley Leviathan, when he assumed command in 280 AA. Unfortunately, despite her strong Northern constitution, Janei took ill with a fever brought by the early spring winds in 281 AA, and passed away soon after. Aimless with the loss of his love, and frustrated when he was forced into a marriage with the lovely Myra Blacktyde as soon as a moon after, Andrik threw himself into his raids and found himself absent for the birth of his first son, Victarion, later that year. While Janei was alive, the young Kraken rarely journeyed far from Pyke; in 282 AA he began reaching further and further, venturing into the southern Reach and Dorne and into the far North. During one such endeavor he found himself at Bear Island, seeking essential resources where other ironborn rarely dared go. Having taken with him only two ships worth of reavers and departing without much of a word, Andrik expected to arrive at the seat of House Mormont undetected — to his shock, a contingent of Mormont soldiers ambushed them once they landed, led by none other than Edrick Mormont, the heir to House Mormont. Unwilling to retreat with nothing to show for it, Andrik rallied half of his forces to hold off the assault while the ships were loaded. He sought out Edrick in particular, the Mormont heir a formidable fighter in his own right and wielding the Valyrian steel blade Longclaw, and the two engaged in a duel while both sides battled for survival. With signature quickness Andrik struck him down, taking the black bearskin cloak right off the shoulders of the grievously wounded Edrick for a trophy, and signaled his men to retreat. It was a costly raid but a victory nonetheless, though Andrik would not know of Edrick’s passing by his sword until much later. Upon his return to Pyke, Myra was there to greet him with his son — a look of grim knowing written all over her face at the sight of the wood-laden ships and the black bear cloak on her husband’s shoulders. The usually solemn Andrik was said to have broken down in his wife’s arms, embracing her and Victarion before she ushered him up into their private tower. While on the battlefield he was known to be fearless, in the presence of his family the young Greyjoy realized just how close he’d been to death and resolved to do his best to never leave them, reportedly falling to his knees before Myra and swearing on his House and name. In return, Myra swore to accompany him on his most dangerous ventures. Lord Aeron was slain in a drunken raid in a small village on the coast of the Kingdom of the Reach not long after in 283 AA, leaving Andrik with a destitute House and an uncertain future. His uncle Greydon, who’d assumed the role of Castellan of Pyke while his older brother Aeron reaved to his heart’s content, approached Andrik with concern: what sort of Lord would he become? The same disappointment as his father, or something greater? And so Andrik, along with the rest of his many siblings, began to formulate a plan. The Reaper in the Reach (285 AA - 287 AA) The first few years of Andrik’s leadership fell into a comfortable routine of raiding and stabilizing his holding. Much had fallen to the wayside during his father's rule, and with the help of Myra and his rock siblings Pyke was finally prospering as well as a House in the Iron Isles could -- but it wasn't enough. Now was not the time to enact the first vestiges of a plan Andrik had come up with, yet the lull of familiarity made him uneasy. The ironborn were due for a reaving, and King Cotter I Goodbrother would be the one to give it to them. Andrik was approached as one of the commanders for what would be known as the Great Reaving of 285 AA, or King Cotter's War. His mission: to distract the navies of the Reach while House Goodbrother, Clayse Harlaw, and Qorwyn Drumm pushed inland. While Myra and his eldest siblings accompanied him, the Lord Reaper instructed the youngest of them to remain behind; a Great Reaving was not the place to learn how to use a weapon (later he would discover that a few snuck onboard ships despite his warnings, most notably the twins Tristifer and Eurona). He mapped a route to lead the Shield Island fleet on a merry chase down the coast before swiftly switching direction to board them, sinking most of the ships at the mouth of the Mander. From there the Greyjoy forces continued upriver, pillaging the many villages that lined the banks of the Mander and razing whatever was left to the ground. It was in one of these villages that Andrik stumbled across a strange sight: a boy almost as tall as he, brandishing the broken heft of an axe at the Greyjoy reavers encircling him. Despite his height he was obviously young and fearless in the face of bloodied and hardened ironborn; reminded of his own son, and reasoning that they would be able to find a use for him on Pyke, Andrik instead offered the boy a deal in the form of thralldom. Do you want to live, boy? Or die like the rest of them? The boy (whose name was Harlon) accepted, and was taken back to the Leviathan in chains. The Greyjoy fleet was eventually discovered by the forces of Highgarden and pushed out of the Reach, where House Redwyne and House Hightower then chased them back to the Iron Islands. Despite this hasty retreat and having lost two of his most trusted salt siblings, Helya and Vickon, Andrik maintained that House Greyjoy emerged the most successful in their reaving, with the least number of casualties. Not long after their return to Pyke, his sister and second-in-command Marya brought before the Lord Reaper two of his younger salt siblings: the twins, Tristifer and Eurona. The two had snuck onboard Marya's ship and were only found days out from Pyke, upon which time Marya had taken them under her watchful eye. Already mourning the loss of Helya and Vickon, Andrik was furious at Tristifer and Eurona's disobedience; he disciplined them harshly with a live steel spar, the same way his mother Victaria had taught him, filled with fear over unnecessarily losing more of his siblings. He kept a strict eye on the twins after that, especially troublemaker Tristifer, and it wouldn't be until two years later that Andrik allowed Tristifer to see battle again. It was then that Tristifer made an odd request to raid the lands of House Florent, where his mother had been taken from. Andrik granted his brother's request and accompanied him up the Honeywine. There, they trekked and reaved through the villages of House Florent with their small band until a contingent of forces led by Alester Florent, one of Lord Florent's sons, arrived to end their raiding. While Tristifer led the men back to their longship, Caledonia, Andrik engaged in a duel with Alester and ultimately defeated him, taking the Florent's heirloom sword Defiance as a trophy (unbeknownst to him, Defiance was passed down from the Knight of Foxes Ser Colin Florent, famous for the Tournament at Brightwater Keep and who'd slew King Harras I Drumm with the same blade). The two brothers returned to Pyke, where despite this new bond between them the two parted ways only a few years later in 289 AA -- Andrik to remain as Lord Reaper while Tristifer left to crew with Qorwyn Drumm. The Lion’s Scourge (290 AA - 292 AA) With the Great Reaving and the Reach behind him, Andrik focused solely on the plan he and his sister Marya had concocted a few years prior. The Kingdom of the Rock remained one of the wealthiest in the continent, and whereas the Reach had sturdied their defenses following King Cotter's War, the Lannisters and their subjects remained blissfully assured of their safety under King Tyran I Lannister. Rightfully so -- no matter how Andrik went about it, despite many scouting attempts along the western shores, he could see no way of obtaining Westerlander gold without unacceptable loss. Marya counseled him on patience and he heeded her advice; when Lord Clayse Harlaw took reavers to the Kingdom of the Trident and slew the Fletcher sons, setting off the War of the Trident, Lord Greyjoy ordered his family and his men to stay well out of the conflict. As the Trident descended into chaos in the wake of the fall of House Fletcher, Andrik waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. He didn't have to wait long: in 292 AA, Tyrion V Lannister, heir to House Lannister, went against his father to join Lord Alliser Tully with as many men as he could muster. Realizing that King Tyran I remained complacent despite his kingdom's weakened state, Andrik gathered up his commanders and set sail for Fair Isle with his half-sister Alannys Greyjoy and half of the Greyjoy fleet. The Battle for Fair Isle was far too quick, surprising even Andrik. House Farman was completely unprepared for their invasion and, unable to rally their fleet and castle defenses, were easily overrun. Having chosen Fair Isle as his battleground was not random; it was no coincidence that his grandfather King Victarion II had met his end here, nor was its proximity to Pyke. In the midst of the slaughter, Andrik sought out Lord Mathis Farman and slew him -- though he was unable to find the Farman children -- before ordering that what few ships remained of the Farman fleet either be taken or burned. Then and only then, as the remnants of the Farman defense lay in ruin around him, did Andrik send a challenge to a King from his vassal's own rookery: Come and face me, or watch Fair Isle burn. Urged by his friend and advisor Lord Robin Reyne, King Tyran I assessed the Greyjoy forces and brought the remaining might of House Lannister and House Reyne to Fair Isle. Unknown to him, Andrik had also sent word back to Pyke for the rest of his men and fleet. Utilizing navigational charts plotted by the Lord Greyjoy that took advantage of seasonal winds and currents, the other half of the Greyjoy fleet (led by Andrik's wife Myra and his younger sister Marya) arrived more than a day earlier than expected Their numbers now doubled, the ironborn overwhelmed the King Tyran's forces, trapping them within Farman's castle. It was here that Andrik found the King himself and cut off his exit through the rear portcullis leading to the harbor. The two engaged in a duel, ending with Andrik slicing open the King's throat and the Lannister men laying their arms down in surrender. Those that agreed to terms were taken as thralls and hauled away on their own captured ships. The rest were killed. When the Lannisters' defeat became apparent, Lord Reyne -- cowardly without the might of his King -- attempted a retreat to the mainland. Greyjoy reavers, led by Andrik and Marya and lusting for more blood, managed to give chase to what was left of the Reyne forces, quickly catching up to them. Lord Robin reportedly begged for his life up until the moment Andrik slew him with his own Valyrian steel sword, Red Rain. Upon Andrik's triumphant return, King Tyran's body was strapped to the bow of the iron galley Leviathan to rot into the sea, with the Lord Greyjoy taking the King's skull as the ultimate trophy. All-in-all the casualties were relatively light, though the loss of his siblings Lucas and Gwin Greyjoy left a dark shadow over the Greyjoy household. The Western Rose (292 AA - 296 AA) A blade and a skull were not all that Andrik brought back from Fair Isle: he also returned with a new salt wife, the fair Alyce Hill, a handmaiden in the Farman household. With a rare beauty and sharp demeanor, Alyce was fiesty in nature and detested her new role; she was often heard hurling curses at the Lord Greyjoy and his siblings, and rumor has it that she even struck Myra, who had come to see if she could ease the younger woman's transition, for which she was harshly punished. Her first few days at Pyke were tumultuous, her furious screams threatening to break the gleam of victory that still shone in the form of battle stories and Westerman gold throughout the halls. As with Janei before her, Andrik was careful to keep her as hidden as possible -- because of this, many are unsure about what exactly transpired in her first four months in the Iron Islands, but when Alyce was next seen she was more subdued, and obviously with child. Unlike the reported affection between Andrik and Janei, the Lord Greyjoy remained distant from Alyce during this time until the birth of their son, Balon, in 293 AA. After his birth the two began to grow close, brought together if only by a love for their child, and Alyce seemed to finally accept her new life as she cared for both Balon and Rodrik while Andrik and Myra were away. Unfortunately, Balon caught the same fever as Janei in 296 AA and died within the month -- an event that left both Andrik and Alyce distraught for some time. To this day, Alyce remains somewhat colder than what people remember of her during the three years Balon was alive. The Spy and the Castle (294 AA) The Red Right Hand (295 AA) Recent Events 10th Moon, 298 AA The Voice of Greyjoy The Hollow Kingsmoot The Kraken's Beak 11th Moon, 298 AA The Reaving of Bear & Owl The Destruction of the Isles 12th Moon, 298 AA The Siege of Pyke Arriving at Pyke, the armies of the West led by Lord Royland Reyne landed. Here, they launched a brutal assault on Lordsport, taking the small port easily. The defenders of Pyke inflicted heavy losses on the enemies with arrow fire as they built their siege engines. When the West attacked, they were nearly pushed back as Greydon Greyjoy fought and died in battle. The Ironborn slew ten men for every one Ironman lost. Eventually they were forced back to the Kitchen Tower of Pyke. There, the men fired more arrows and slew even more Westermen. In disgrace, the Westermen could not take the whole of the castle. They eventually retreated, and the Greyjoy fleet returned. 1st Moon, 299 AA The Empty Return 2nd Moon, 299 AA The Crowning of the Kraken At the desolated island of Old Wyk, 3rd Moon, 299 AA The Iron Council Timeline * 260 AA - Andrik Greyjoy is born to Aeron Greyjoy and Victaria Greyjoy nee Sunderly. * 267 AA - Lady Victaria begins Andrik’s training in the sword. * 268 AA - Marya Greyjoy is born to Aeron and Victaria Greyjoy. * 271 AA - Lady Victaria dies during a raid in the Reach. Not long after, Lord Aeron remarries to Yara Greyjoy nee Farwynd. * 273 AA - Andrik begins to accompany Lord Aeron on small raids up and down the western coast of Westeros. * 274 AA - Theon Greyjoy is born to Aeron and Yara Greyjoy. * 278 AA - Andrik takes his first salt wife Janei Snow. * 279 AA - Mina Greyjoy is born to Andrik Greyjoy and Janei Snow. * 280 AA - Andrik is given command of his iron galley, the Leviathan. Later that year, Nessa Grejoy is born to Aeron and Yara Greyjoy. * 281 AA - Janei takes ill and dies soon after. Lord Aeron forces Andrik into marriage with Myra Greyjoy nee Blacktyde. Victarion Greyjoy is born to Andrik and Myra Greyjoy. * 282 AA - Andrik leads a raid on Bear Island, unknowingly killing the heir to House Mormont in the process. * 283 AA - Lord Aeron dies, leaving Andrik as Lord Reaper of Pyke. Lord Andrik names his younger sister, Marya, his sworn sword. * 285 AA - Lord Andrik leads the Greyjoy fleet in the Great Reaving of the Reach. He encounters Harlon, a Reach farmer boy, and takes him in as a thrall. * 287 AA - Lord Andrik leads a raid with his younger salt brother, Tristifer, on House Florent lands. * 289 AA - Rodrik Greyjoy is born to Andrik and Myra Greyjoy. * 290 AA - The War of the Trident. * 292 AA - Lord Andrik leads a reaving on Fair Isle, meeting King Tyran I Lannister and Lord Robin Reyne on the battlefield and emerging victorious. Both King Tyran and Lord Robin are slain, and Red Rain is acquired as the sword of House Greyjoy. Lord Andrik takes his second salt wife, Alyce Hill. * 293 AA - Balon Greyjoy is born to Andrik Greyjoy and Alyce Hill. * 294 AA - Lord Andrik names his younger half-brother, Theon, Castellan of Pyke. * 295 AA - Lord Andrik names Harlon his sworn sword. * 296 AA - Balon takes ill and dies later that year. * 298 AA - King Cotter I Goodbrother dies, and a Kingsmoot is called. ** 10th Moon: All of the claimants at the Hollow Kingsmoot are called unworthy and sent to reave. Alannys Greyjoy goes behind her brother's back and attempts to assassinate Lord Clayse Harlaw, getting herself slain instead. Seeing the death of their commander, the Greyjoy rearguard attacks the Harlaw flagship, sinking it. Tristifer Blacktyde, son of Lord Jorun Blacktyde, delivers Lord Harlaw from the sea only to kill him and take his Valyrian steel sword, Nightfall. Word reaches the Iron Isles of these events, and Lord Euron Goodbrother mediates the dispute between Houses Greyjoy, Harlaw, and Blacktyde. ** 11th Moon: Lord Andrik and Lord Euron depart for the North to reave Bear Isle and Deepwood Motte. Days later, the Reach and West fleets descend on the Isles to begin their path of destruction. House Greyjoy Full family tree found [HEREHERE]. Bullet points are children. Numbers are spouses/partners. Bold represents the current line of succession. Italics represents deceased characters. * [[Quentin I Greyjoy|''Quentin I Greyjoy]] (198 AA - 260 AA) *# ''Harra Greyjoy nee Stonehouse (200 AA - 263 AA) *#* [[Victarion II Greyjoy|''Victarion II Greyjoy]]' '(215 AA - 278 AA) *#*# ''Syf Greyjoy nee Merlyn (216 AA - 267 AA) *#*#* ''Aeron Greyjoy ''(235 AA - 283 AA) *#*#*# Victaria Greyjoy nee Sunderly (240 AA - 271 AA) *#*#*#* [[Andrik Greyjoy|'Andrik Greyjoy']] (260 AA - present) *#*#*#*# Janei Snow (261 AA - 281 AA) *#*#*#*#* Mina Greyjoy (279 AA - present) *#*#*#*# Myra Greyjoy nee Blacktyde (264 AA - present) *#*#*#*#* Victarion Greyjoy (281 AA - present) *#*#*#*#* Rodrik Greyjoy (289 AA - present) *#*#*#*# Alyce Hill (272 AA - present) *#*#*#*#* Balon Greyjoy (293 AA - 296 AA) *#*#*#* Marya Greyjoy (268 AA - present) *#*#*#*# Artos Hill (266 AA - present) *#*#*#*#* Veron Greyjoy (292 AA - present) *#*#*#*#* Asha Greyjoy (294 AA - present) *#*#*# Elia Sand (240 AA - 267 AA) *#*#*#* Helya Greyjoy (263 AA - 285 AA) *#*#*#* Vickon Greyjoy (266 AA - 285 AA) *#*#*#* Alannys Greyjoy (267 AA - present) *#*#*# Selyse Snow (250 AA - 275 AA) *#*#*#* Yssa Greyjoy (268 AA - present) *#*#*#* Jocasta Greyjoy (271 AA - present) *#*#*#* Jayne Greyjoy (275 AA - present) *#*#*# Pyper Pyke (247 AA - 287 AA) *#*#*#* Jon Greyjoy (269 AA - present) *#*#*# Yara Greyjoy nee Farwynd (256 AA - present) *#*#*#* Theon Greyjoy (274 AA - present) *#*#*#* Nessa Greyjoy (280 AA - present) *#*#*# Emma Flowers (260 AA - 282 AA) *#*#*#* Tristifer Greyjoy (273 AA - present) *#*#*#* Eurona Greyjoy (273 AA - present) *#*#*#* Lucas Greyjoy (277 AA - 292 AA) *#*#*#* Gwin Greyjoy (279 AA - 297 AA) *#*#*#* Harras Greyjoy (282 AA - present) *#*#* Greydon Greyjoy (239 AA - present) *#*#*# Gysella Greyjoy nee Botley (243 AA - present) *#*#*#* Roryn Greyjoy (261 AA - present) *#*#*#*# Asha Greyjoy nee Codd (265 AA - 285 AA) *#*#*#*#* Asher Greyjoy (285 AA - present) *#* Helya Goodbrother nee Greyjoy *#** Cotter I Goodbrother *#** Euron Goodbrother Quotes Category:House Greyjoy Category:Ironborn Category:King Category:King of Salt and Rock